The big thing about the new machines is that they use cooler processors so the RROD issue should diminish a bit. The Elite's HDMI is nice but no better picture than the component video from my Premium. The advantage to the HDMI is a single cable for video/audio. The extra hard drive space is important if you're downloading a lot of stuff...the 20gb in the Premium goes quickly. But even then, 120gb isn't all that much for the $180 or so Micro$oft is charging - I just got a nice 250gb USB 2.0 external drive for $49 and would LOVE to be able to slap it into my XBOX USB slot.

True, that's the problem with proprietary interfaces.
Microsoft can charge whatever they want.
120gb for 200 dollars is outrageous, when you can get double that for half the price.
This is why I delete half of what I download, and share my internet connection for my 360 through my laptop, because I don't feel like giving rich Bill Gates more outrageous money for a hard drive and $99 wifi adpater that costs next to nothing for Microsoft to manufacture.

I was leaning towards getting a XBOX 360 but decided not to in the end; but my choice was going to be the premium. It seemed to have the best features for the money of the three, now that all the consoles come with HDMI ports anyway.

True, that's the problem with proprietary interfaces.
Microsoft can charge whatever they want.
120gb for 200 dollars is outrageous, when you can get double that for half the price.
This is why I delete half of what I download, and share my internet connection for my 360 through my laptop, because I don't feel like giving rich Bill Gates more outrageous money for a hard drive and $99 wifi adpater that costs next to nothing for Microsoft to manufacture.

actually its $180, and its a laptop harddrive, you wont find one double that for $80. they are overpriced but its a...hmm..that one word where a company has all the market for something.

An Xbox360 Elite with wiimote would be the ultimate for First person shooting games I just dont think i could play Halo 3 or Resident Evil 5 with a standard controller, moving the cursor around with a controller is just too inaccurate and annoying

The Elite's HDMI is nice but no better picture than the component video from my Premium. The advantage to the HDMI is a single cable for video/audio.

This isn't entirely accurate, though in your specific setup it may be the case.

I agree that the cable packaging for HDMI is a little simpler (if that's a perk), but the real advantage of HMDI is digital vs. analog.

The component output had been run through the D/A converter, then travels analog into your set - if you have a set designed around a digital display system (LCD, DLP, Plasma) then it has to re-convert the signal back to digital.

All of this sampling/re-sampling can introduce artifacts, noise, etc.

If your intended display device is digital, your best bet is to supply it with a native digital signal via HDMI (or DVI).

Note in addition to the above, that because of HDCP (which is only implemented in HDMI), some very popular sets by companies like Sony that do not support 720+ over component, so for HD support, these sets *require* the use of HDMI.

im thinking of getting an elite because i like the sound of the hd movies and what not for download in the future, but cant i just get a premium and then buy an external hdd and plug it into the usb and save some $$ and still be able to download what i want from live? or not? thanks

What ever you do do not buy the Core it lacks a lot fo features from the premium and Elite. besides the cables and no chrome on the drive and no HDD it doesnt not support HDD. So i suggest you just buy the Elite because you will have more space to download Xbox live games and demos. and you can rent movies in HDD and download TV shows in HDD so there are way more advantages so go Elite or wait for the 360 Falcon to come out which is a revised version of the 360 the will have 80-95 GB of HDD and it will have no bugs or anything like that plus it will replace the 360 premium and core for good.

Hey everyone it's me MRCOOLGH its been forever and a half since I came back on in fact its been at least a year and a half since I was here. Last time I visited Wiichat was 02-26-2008 and I'm gald to be back everyone!

Just throwing this in there...i'd much rather have a PSŁ than elite.
If you want to play HD films, you're much better off with bluray than HDDVD in my opinion. Its almost certain to become the dominant of the two formats.
Also, although its not marketed as such, the PS3 is actually very good value when you consider all the additional costs associated with 360 now. The games are getting much better, and free online play is coming soon.

Just throwing this in there...i'd much rather have a PS&#163; than elite.
If you want to play HD films, you're much better off with bluray than HDDVD in my opinion. Its almost certain to become the dominant of the two formats.
Also, although its not marketed as such, the PS3 is actually very good value when you consider all the additional costs associated with 360 now. The games are getting much better, and free online play is coming soon.

a free horrible network (nothing beats xbl), and a horrible library of games. Plus, I would not put my money into either format: hd-dvd or blu-ray, until the format war is over for sure.